Which mass-produced, U.S.-available EV is getting put to the take a look at in Europe with battery swapping?
Why is Rivian reportedly reengineering its battery packs?
That is our look again on the Week In Reverse—proper right here at Inexperienced Automotive Experiences—for the week ending December 9, 2023.
Inexperienced Automotive Experiences named its 4 finalists for Finest Automotive To Purchase 2024. What are these 4 plug-in fashions new for this 12 months, and that are the cleanest, greenest, and greatest for treading evenly?
2024 Fiat 500e
Fiat revealed 500e pricing, vary, and have particulars for the long-awaited U.S.-bound model of this second-generation electrical minicar. The 2024 Fiat 500e begins at $34,095 and is rated at 149 EPA miles of vary. Simply don’t anticipate the $49-a-month leases of the previous-generation automobile.
Fiat’s mum or dad Stellantis introduced it’s testing EV battery swapping from Ample on 100 Fiat 500e electrical vehicles which can be a part of the corporate’s Free2Move car-sharing service—and meaning a totally charged battery in 5 minutes. With this trial, it’s seeing if battery swapping can scale up, or lengthen out to different upcoming EVs from Stellantis’ many manufacturers, together with Jeep and Dodge.
2024 Lucid Air
The 2024 Lucid Air lineup begins at $78,900, in its Pure type, and restructured characteristic availability permits some gadgets just like the steel or glass roof, to change into unbiased of the model. Additional, Lucid says a revamped Grand Touring—the mannequin that makes the a lot of the bigger battery pack within the Air lineup—could have an up to date powertrain with higher thermal efficiency for longer durations of “spirited driving.”
The British specialty sports activities automobile maker Morgan on Wednesday revealed the XP-1 electrical three-wheeler, that includes a powertrain developed in-house and a weight of solely round 1,500 kilos for this two-seater. Though nonetheless a prototype, this mannequin might form as much as be a extra vintage-styled various to the long-awaited Aptera.
Morgan XP-1 prototype
Toyota has revealed a compact EV, known as the City SUV Idea, for the European market. Might it’s an extra improvement of the bZ Compact SUV Idea that Toyota confirmed final 12 months and steered may also be U.S.-bound?
Toyota additionally launched extra details about the FT-Se electrical sports activities automobile idea proven final month on the Tokyo auto present. About the identical measurement because the Supra, however a bit decrease and wider, it showcases the potential of extra energy-dense next-generation battery tech, Toyota says.
Toyota FT-Se idea
When GM is able to ramp up its EVs, it has a bit extra help. The EV fast-charging community from GM and Pilot Journey Facilities has introduced the opening of its first 17 areas. It goals to deploy a number of 350-kw connectors at every website, with as much as 2,000 stalls and 500 areas on the best way—together with 25 areas by the tip of 2023 and 200 areas by the tip of 2024.
Rivian creating a simplified battery pack for its R1S and R1T electrical vans that may take hundreds of {dollars} of price out? Though these vans’ packs get extra vitality into much less quantity, simpler manufacturability and decrease price might present that there’s nonetheless loads of room for enchancment.
Ford Clever Backup Energy – F-150 Lightning
Ford, then again, has taken the bidirectional charging functionality constructed into the F-150 Lightning a step additional with a brand new partnership that explores integrating its vehicle-to-home (V2H) tech with sensible thermostats. That might end in cleaner vitality, much less pressure on the grid, and decrease vitality payments for F-150 Lightning house owners.
Up to date outcomes on the vary of the most recent EVs from Client Experiences highlighted what must be emphasised for anybody contemplating an EV: EPA vary for EVs isn’t a freeway quantity. That stated, CR discovered that some fashions from Mercedes-Benz and BMW really exceeded the EPA vary at 70 mpg—a fantastic factor—whereas others together with Lucid and Tesla fell quick.
2023 Mercedes-Benz EQE 350+
Jeep and Dodge mum or dad firm Stellantis is the most recent automaker to battle California emissions guidelines, claiming that they’re giving a number of different automakers that opted to chop an early take care of the state’s Air Assets Board a aggressive benefit. To assist meet the stricter California guidelines, Stellantis has already introduced plans to lower non-hybrid gross sales in California emissions states.
In accordance with a current Bloomberg report, EV-critical lithium costs are falling—as are these for different key battery supplies. It’s a refreshing turnaround after a raw-material worth surge in 2022 that in the end performed a task in EV affordability and profitability. Now, extra manufacturing capability because the market grows could also be affording automakers some added flexibility and, maybe, that may result in extra reasonably priced EVs.
The U.S. Division of Power and Treasury Division launched proposed rulemaking concerning the “overseas entity of concern” necessities throughout the Inflation Discount Act of 2022—and it’ll play a giant position in how the electrical automobile market continues to take type. Whether or not wanting on the origin of important supplies or the company possession behind manufacturers, many extra EVs gained’t be tax-credit-eligible in 2025.
2025 Tesla Cybertruck – Courtesy of Tesla, Inc.
Preliminary deliveries of the Tesla Cybertruck are reportedly at a value of $121,985 with vacation spot. In the meantime, the EPA confirmed that the Tesla Cybertruck qualifies for a $7,500 EV tax credit score—nevertheless the EPA’s inclusion of the Cybertruck for 2023 left plenty of questions on Tesla’s meant Cybertruck pricing and arrival dates.
And as meals for thought on the weekend, electrical autos at present make up a 3rd of the luxurious automobile market, based on a current abstract by the U.S. Power Data Administration (EIA). But EVs make up lower than 2% of the non-luxury automobile market. It’s considered one of many indicators of a lopsided U.S. EV market with respect to pricing and affordability. Whereas EV curiosity is powerful, the survey big J.D. Energy lately argued that there’s a “lacking mass market” for EVs. On this complicated scenario, with some suggesting EV demand is slowing, it’s merely a scarcity of choices priced and positioned for the mass market that could possibly be the dealbreaker.
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